Several Issues on Compiling the National Atlas

Summary

Based on the practical experience of the Soviet Union in compiling large-scale comprehensive national atlases, this paper systematically discusses the key issues in the compilation of national atlases. It first emphasizes the significance of comprehensive atlases in reflecting a country's natural, economic, and social characteristics, and points out that the core task of editorial work lies in revealing the interrelations among various phenomena. The paper then elaborates on the main components of editorial preparation, including the formulation of a general plan, collection and processing of cartographic materials, experimental work, determination of technological procedures, staff training, and scientific-technical summarization. It highlights the importance of collective leadership by an editorial committee, collaboration among multiple institutions, and systematic data collection. Specific methods are proposed to unify symbols and colors through experimental work and to reduce costs by optimizing printing processes. Finally, it concludes that timely scientific-technical summaries serve as valuable references for accumulating experience and improving the quality of future cartographic works.